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Bable bike- The safest bike in the world?

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  1. DaveC
    Member

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05r6wyf

    go to 24 minutes (for 6 minutes).

    It is not cheap though at £3500! excluding some tax incentives. *

    * Its eligable for the Cycle Too Work scheme - which begs the question, why is the current limit only £1000 for a traditional bike?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  2. newtoit
    Member

    Current limit is £1,000 as it is effectively a loan - therefore for your employer to allow over £1,000 on the cycle to work scheme they would have to have a consumer credit license.

    Add to that your employer would have to cough up for the initial purchase - not sure how many would sign up to the cycle to work scheme if they knew they would be expected to pay for bikes costing several grand!

    Posted 10 years ago #
  3. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The safest bike in the world?

    "

    Nope

    http://www.gizmag.com/babel-bike/36991/pictures

    Posted 10 years ago #
  4. neddie
    Member

    In tests on prototypes, the Babel Bike's cage reportedly allowed it to be pushed away when hit by heavy transport trucks

    Hmmm...

    Does it now...?

    Posted 10 years ago #
  5. LaidBack
    Member

    It's a Sinclair project, this time from Clive's son Crispin. They've been keen to establish themselves ever since the C5. That electric assist trike set the standard by which all things with seats and pedals are judged. :-(
    Although commonly looked at as a failure the C5 was made in large quantities and has become a 'collectors item' (Not at LB though!).

    Now they return with a comfort bike / recumbent with roll cage. Layouts of this sort have already been around for years from HPV in Germany and Optima / M5 in NL. Arellcat has a Rans Sequoia that uses a comfort layout - as opposed to flat out recliner.
    http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/spirit/index_e.html

    The seat looks too upright of course for my tastes and the comfort level of a seat is normally the prime reason people choose such a bike. If a seat is too upright then the seat pad has to be well padded. For comfort rear suspension is quite normal too.

    I can see the thinking an the keeping the chain inside is a neat trick - except when it comes to repairs. I've ridden a Greenmachine in NL and they are as advanced as anything made in quantity. The frame was quite noisy though.
    http://www.flevobike.nl/en/GreenMachine/greenmachine.html

    Of course they are saying this is 'just a bike' and it has nothing to do with what I would sell. This is trying to establish something on two wheels which is not a bike or motorbike...

    For every pound spent making them expect to spend ten on marketing! Safety doesn't sell easily. What people want is the convenience of a car.

    To sell this they'll need kick stands, panniers etc etc. The Shimano Steps motor is good though and we expect to have a trike with one fitted soon.

    Their earlier one had a roof.

    Link to this latest one...
    http://sinclairinnovation.com/

    They even have an animation of the bike going over the top of a Volvo. Double safety at work! ;-)

    Posted 10 years ago #

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